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The forest is still there, but with fewer trees, or fewer species of trees, plants or animals, or some of them affected by plagues. [1] This degradation makes the forest less valuable and may lead to deforestation. Forest degradation is a type of the more general issue of land degradation.
Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal and destruction of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. [1] Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms , ranches , or urban use.
The more trees that are removed equals larger effects of climate change which, in turn, results in the loss of more trees. [13] Forests cover 31% of the land area on Earth. Every year, 75,700 square kilometers (18.7 million acres) of the forest is lost. [14] There was a 12% increase in the loss of primary tropical forests from 2019 to 2020. [15]
Demand for fuel destroys forests in most urban and rural areas globally, and Zimbabwe is not an exception. Loss of trees leads to environmental degradation and increased erosion. Where dried dung is used instead of firewood, soil fertility is lost and harvests are reduced. [15] Without plant cover, erosion can occur and sweep the land into rivers.
Soil erosion may be a slow process that continues relatively unnoticed, or it may occur at an alarming rate causing a serious loss of topsoil. The loss of soil from farmland may be reflected in reduced crop production potential, lower surface water quality and damaged drainage networks. Soil erosion could also cause sinkholes.
The loss of trees from tropical rainforests alone represents a substantial diminishing of Earth's ability to produce oxygen and to use up carbon dioxide. These services are becoming even more important as increasing carbon dioxide levels is one of the main contributors to global climate change . [ 50 ]
Habitat loss: Logging can lead to the loss of habitat for plants and animals. This can have a negative impact on biodiversity. Soil erosion: Logging can also lead to soil erosion, as the removal of trees can make the soil more vulnerable to wind and water. This can lead to the loss of topsoil and the degradation of land.
The introduction of sustainable forestry efforts such as the Zero Net Deforestation Act seeks to reduce the rate of forest cover loss. In British Columbia, forests cover over 55 million hectares, which is 57.9% of British Columbia's 95 million hectares of land. [105] The forests are mainly composed (over 80%) of coniferous trees, such as pines ...